When routing the edges of boards and panels, such as a recess for a door hinge, it is desirable to provide a stable working platform on which the router can rest.
In the prior art, a number of designs have been proposed for templates and devices which can be used for routing recesses for door hinges. One such design is shown in Spielman, P., The New Router Handbook (New York: Sterling Publishing Co., 1993) at pp. 181-183. In illus. 14-13 and 14--14, a template guide for door hinge mortising is shown. The template guide shown in illus. 14-13 and 14--14, provides two parallel supporting rails on which the hand-held router can rest. However, the two supporting rails form a relatively narrow gauge track and the hand-held router has a substantial overhang, with the possibility that the hand-held router could easily tip during use. On p. 182, in illus. 14-17 to 14-19, another door hinge template is shown attached to a clamping block. While the apparatus in illus. 14-17 to 14-19 provides a wider platform, it is still possible for the hand-held router to tip if brought close to the edge, as shown in illus. 14-18. Furthermore, the area to be mortised is fixed by the fixed rectangular hole cut into the fixed platform.
Another prior art design is disclosed in Spielman, P., Router Jigs and Techniques (New York: Sterling Publishing Co., 1988) at pp. 293-294. In illus. 610-612, a C-shaped template is shown nailed onto a clamping bar. Again, the platform has a relatively narrow width, and it is possible that the router can tip if brought close to the edge, as shown in illus. 611.
Yet another prior art design is disclosed in De Cristoforo, R. J., The Portable Router Book, 2nd Edition (Blue Ridge Summit, Pa.: Tab Books, 1994) at pp. 236-237. The template design shown in FIG. 11-52, on p. 236, is narrow, and relies on the router operator to keep the router from tipping. The designs shown in FIGS. 11-53 and 11-54, on p. 237, are similar to the designs shown in the Spielman references and, therefore, suffer from the same drawbacks.